Mar
Post Revised 3/8/10, 2:19pm.
Dear readers, I have revised this post from it’s original format and removed a paragraph that may have sounded patronizing. The rest of the post has remained the same.
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Today it seems that everyone is claiming to be a social media “expert”. The amount of companies making this claim is getting to be a bit ridiculous. Even folks like Chris Brogan, Gary Vee and Jason Falls don’t claim to be experts – and they know what their doing.
The reason I bring this up is because I’ve witnessed many businesses jump on the social media bandwagon simply because they see dollar signs. They see social media as an easy way to make money. They think by saying they offer social media services, clients will just flock to their door and flood their voice mail and in-boxes with consultation requests.
Social media today reminds me of SEO in the late 90’s, early 2000’s. Everyone and their grandmother made claims that they could “get your website on the front page of Google.” Jump ahead 10 years and how many of those companies still exist? Not many.
We can even compare social media to real estate. Remember when the real estate market was doing really well? How many people did you know suddenly decide they wanted to sell real estate? How many of those people still sell real estate? Need I say more?
I really don’t mean to get so angry about this, but when I see random companies suddenly offering social media services, I do get angry. Companies like that make us, the ones that truly get what social media is all about, feel not only angry, but dirty. I just don’t want to see an industry that I fell in love with, one that I built my business on (legitimately), get a bad name, or even worse, bust.
What do you think? Do you think social media will bust just like the dot com’s?
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5 Responses to “The Social Media Bandwagon Is Getting Pretty Crowded.”
I couldn’t agree more, Patti. And your comparison to real estate says it perfectly. Real Estate agents now have a bad name because so many people jumped into the industry to make a quick buck without having a care in the world about their customers or clients. I don’t think social media will bust, but I’m sure, like dot com’s and real estate, it will slow down to a more normal pace. And eventually the people who don’t belong in the industry will be weeded out.
Thank you Jackie for your comment. I agree that those that don’t belong in the industry will be weeded out in the end.
Hi Patti
I’m kinda with you and kinda over it too… I’ve been helping people with social media marketing since early 2006 and on twitter since 2007 and I felt what you are voicing well over 18 months ago now.
Here are my thoughts on it and where I am now…
On using the word expert…
There are those who consider an expert to be someone who knows more about something than the person learnng from them. I see their point, but don’t buy into that philosophy. So the first decision I made ‘way back when’ was never to call myself a social media ‘expert’; the speed with which the industry and technologies move makes staying on top of EVERYTHING a ridiculous proposition – if you actually deliver services too. Back when I had my own marketing agency servicing blue chip clients I always used to say “Knowing all the answers is not what’s important. It’s knowing all the questions that is.” I think that still works.
On what that means for the industry…
The continued competition (from whichever quarters at whatever quality or level of service) is actually a fantastic opportunity for us to get really clear about our USPs…
I used to work within what I considered a tight enough niche – coaches and solopreneurs. But it’s not, and in fact, many of my early clients are now ‘experts’. So, I’ve been working on refining that niche around what and how I do what I do, who I really am and who I want to do it with. Despite the strength of the BlogAngel brand, and initial pain and resistance around doing so, I’m leaving her behind.
I’m Claire Raikes, I’m an Authentic Marketing & Personal Branding expert and I work with spiritually minded entrepreneurs and conscious business owners. Social media marketing is just a tiny – albeit fundamental – part of what I do. And you know what Patti? That love you talked about – I’ve fallen in love with my work all over again, I’m in my flow and work feels like fun again.
It’s good that you wrote this post – got it off your chest – and now, your mission Patti Fousek, should you choose to accept it, is to ask yourself – so instead of getting angry and feeling dirty, what am I going to do to rise up and shine through?
I completely agree. Offering social media services may seem easy to some at first, but if they aren’t prepared, they will soon realize they do not have the time or experience. Hopefully businesses think to ask for some credibility before handing their social media duties over to someone who is under qualified. Uh Oh!
Hi Claire,
Thank you so much for your comment. Looking back at my post, I do see how I may have come off as patronizing – which was unintentional. My husband actually told me not to write this post. He said I was overacting. However, to me social media is also about being transparent. So, I may have overacted, but as you said… I got my feelings off my chest.
I love your point about USPs. You’re right, each one of us does have a unique selling proposition to offer. And I have found myself revising my services and USPs as I move forward in this industry. PS. I do accept your mission.